Russia exported 9.52 million tonnes of grain, including 8.48 million tonnes of wheat and 1.03 million tonnes of barley from the start of the 2008/09 crop year on July 1 to Nov. 18, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday (Nov 25).

October grain exports were 2.45 million tonnes, wheat exports 2.19 million tonnes and barley exports 2,000 tonnes, according to the ministry.

It said Russia exported 845,000 tonnes of grain in the first 18 days of November, including 752,000 tonnes of wheat and 91,000 tonnes of barley.

Analysts said on Monday (Nov 24) that total 2008/09 exports were larger than a year ago, although export volumes in October and November were lower than in the same months of 2007. Russia expects a grain crop of over 100 million tonnes this year, the largest in the last 15 years, and plans to export an all-time high volume of between 20 million and 25 million tonnes of grain, mainly wheat.